Forestry

The African continent is rich in forests which are not only critical for biodiversity and other ecosystem services, but provide an important economic role and support people’s livelihoods. Despite their importance to economies and ecosystems, forests are being cleared at an alarming rate, largely due to agricultural expansion. While the contributions of forests to the African economy are fairly well-established, the non-monetary contributions from forests are less well understood. In this chapter, we examine the role of forests and trees across Africa's disparate mosaic of cultures, landscapes, and economies. In doing so, we elucidate these linkages with a particular focus on how forests can support and improve food and nutrition security, particularly in the poorest, rural households. We argue that the preservation of Africa’s forests is essential for not only meeting climate and sustainability goals, but also for supporting and improving rural people’s nutrition and livelihoods.